As a reporter and editor, I’m always hunting for fascinating tidbits of information to give stories context.
As a reporter and editor, I’m always hunting for fascinating tidbits of information to give stories context.
While helping out a Post Local reporter with a story a couple weeks back, we came across a couple numbers that were downright appalling.
Only 62 voters out of the 7,876 registered to vote on Ohio University’s campus actually cast a ballot during last November’s election.
That’s horrendous. And what you’re reading from The Post Local is our attempt to combat voter apathy by slapping you across the face with information you’ll need to make informed decisions next week.
We’ve got a smorgasbord of subjects on the ballot a week from Tuesday — and I swear they aren’t all boring. And they certainly matter.
One ballot issue concerns funding for the county to keep tuberculosis in check. Remember the disease that killed Wild West gunslinger Doc Holliday and President Andrew Jackson? It’s apparently still a thing.
Another bullet on your ballot is the race for Athens County Common Pleas Court Judge. Let’s all cross our fingers that you don’t end up in the courtroom, but the candidate who gets elected could be the one deciding whether you do hard time in prison or get off with a wimpy fine.
On that cheery note: By all means, read up on all we have to offer in our election preview — both on this page and online. Feel free to make notes to yourself in the margins here, even if it’s something like “this guy’s an idiot.”
Some of the reporters on our staff have worked hard lately to sit down with candidates and hear their pitches. We’ve broken down four of the contested races on the ballot, plus all the ballot issues you’ll see at your polling place next week (Remember! You’re going to vote!).
Once you get your political fill from our articles, hit up the Athens County Board of Elections website to figure out where you need to vote on Election Day. It’s actually one of the most intuitive government websites in Athens, where you can check out which dorms correspond to which polling places.
If you live off campus, fear not: You can search your address on the site to get the same details.
So, folks, there you have it — I can’t hold your hand and walk you to the polls next Tuesday, but here is the next best thing.
@SamuelHHoward
sh335311@ohio.edu
